The United Arab Emirates is an American ally and an important Middle Eastern nation.
Although it’s famous for Abu Dhabi and the glossy modern buildings of its cities, the UAE is still a very traditional country.
The American embassy in the UAE found that out the hard way after deciding to hoist up a Pride flag.
It didn’t go well.
In fact, even just being gay is still illegal in the UAE, much less the rainbow intersectional “anything goes” concept of the Pride flag.
Why Did the Embassy Fly the Flag?
The embassy decided to fly the flag at the end of June for Pride month. Specifically, they wanted to show respect to the anniversary of the Stonewall riots when the gay movement gained civil rights.
Calling it a “milestone,” the embassy said it was supporting people’s “dignity,” regardless of their identity or who they’re sexually attracted to.
It did not go well.
Emiratis and their supporters were furious at the American decision to fly the flag, calling it cultural imperialism and forcing leftist social values on traditional countries.
Good for the UAE. Anything outside of a heterosexual marriage is a crime in the UAE. And we know what Pride represents and what their agenda is.
This flag does not belong at ANY US Embassy. Period. The United States has one flag which is red, white, and blue. https://t.co/5QNv7JnPSO
— Aboo Mikaeel (@aboomikaeel) July 3, 2021
‘This Is Not Acceptable’
Expressing the thoughts of millions of Emiratis, one social media user simply tweeted that ‘This is not acceptable’ and told the British Embassy – which also flew the Pride flag in the UAE – that their decision was wrong.
Opponents said that flying these flags was “an insult and disrespect” to the UAE and its beliefs.
Others called it childish.
Supporters said this is another milestone of progress and that it represents bravery.
That’s absurd, considering that the US and UK are two of the richest and most powerful countries in the world. It’s not brave of them to fly Pride flags, it’s just disrespectful.
Disrespect the whole country with this childish action
— محمد المريخي (@UAEmohamed) June 28, 2021
The Bottom Line
The bottom line is that not everywhere is as liberal as a college classroom and that the American diplomatic corps has to learn some common sense.
Nations like the UAE are not highly radical or extreme like some readers may think. They are just normal people who don’t want their kids to become transgender and find the LGBT movement disturbing.
The vast majority of nations around the world are not interested or accepting of the LGBT ideology. They will become angry if it continues to be forced on them.
Journalists who push LGBT ideas at home in America quickly learn this when they are posted anywhere from Hungary to Japan: other countries don’t agree with them and consider their beliefs radical and bizarre.
So my advice to US Secretary of State Tony Blinken and others who want to let their embassies virtue signal is:
Next time play it cool and keep flying the stars and stripes like you should be in the first place.
